With conventional component mounters, as disclosed in patent literature 1 (WO2004/103052) and patent literature 2 (JP-A-2012-99614), multiple feeders are set on a feeder setting table of the component mounter, mounting onto a circuit board is performed by picking up components supplied by each feeder with a suction nozzle, and each time a feeder runs out of components, an operator performs feeder exchange work by removing the feeder for which parts have run out from the feeder setting table, and setting a feeder that supplies the same components onto the feeder setting table.
Further, in patent literature 1, to allow an operator to perform feeder exchange work efficiently, the time remaining until components run out is indicated to the operator, such that the operator has enough time to prepare a feeder that supplies the same components before the components run out.
However, because many feeders are set on a component mounter, there are cases in which exchange periods for feeders overlap, and because it is difficult for one operator to exchange multiple used feeders for which components have run out during the same exchange period, operation of the component mounter is stopped until exchange work for all the feeders that have run out of components is completed, meaning that the operating rate of the component mounter drops, which is undesirable.
As a countermeasure, in patent literature 2, a feeder exchange work plan is created to spread out feeder exchange periods such that feeder exchange work is not concentrated in a given period, and operators exchange feeders according to the feeder exchange work plan.